Officials said the merger of Rutgers and the state’s medical school will help bring more federal research funds to New Jersey and improve biomedical studies. Rutger’s Camden Campus will also expand its health science program in conjunction with Rowan University in nearby Gloucester County.

The vote is a political victory for Gov. Chris Christie and South Jersey Democrats, who campaigned hard for the merger.

“The integration of these New Jersey institutions unleashes the full potential of Rutgers University,” Christie said in a statement.

College officials have been studying the financial and logistical implications of the merger for months, and the plan is expected to be formalized next July. Christie signed the New Jersey Medical and Health Sciences Education Restructuring Act in August.